WOULD THERE BE PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC WITHOUT ALBERT HOFFMAN?

Albert Hoffman, a Swiss chemist, invented LSD. He accidentally discovered its recreational use. He lived to be 102 years of age. Here is a link to his obit and a short video from the BBC.

LSD inspired many young people to TUNE IN TURN ON and DROP OUT, following the advice of Timothy Leary. The use of LSD also seemed to inspire a genre of music now commonly referred to as psychedelia.

San Francisco spawned the Summer of Love, where LSD (acid) was reportedly used heavily. This era also generated the San Francisco Sound and introduced local bands such as the Grateful Dead and The Jefferson Airplane to a wider audience.

Here at the J. Paul Leonard Library, you can find materials to help you learn more about psychedelia. Some suggestions, below.

Love is the song we sing : San Francisco nuggets 1965-1970.

Nuggets : original artyfacts from the first psychedelic era 1965-1968

Are you experienced?/the Jimi Hendrix Experience

Sixties rock : garage, psychedelic, and other satisfactions / Michael Hicks

Unknown legends of rock ‘n’ roll : psychedelic unknowns, madgeniuses, punk pioneers, lo-fi mavericks & more / Richie Unterberger

San Francisco nights : the psychedelic music trip, 1965-1968 / by Gene Sculatti and Davin Seay

Living with the Dead : twenty years on the bus with Garcia and the Grateful Dead / Rock Scully with David Dalton.

The golden road (1965-1973) / Grateful Dead

The best of Jefferson Airplane

And here’s something from The 13th Floor Elevators——–Roky Erickson is notorious for his use of LSD.